The Epsilon Directive
by V.Valentine
Summary: VoyagerFinal Fantasy 7 Crossover With only being home for a few months, Captain Janeway hope to put her past behind her. But when a threat to the Borg Existance emerges, she's gonna need some help. Sequel to Shifting Sands. Please read and review.


The Epsilon Directive

By V. Valentine

Chapter 1: "Familiar Callers"

Author's Note: So, I decided to finally start the sequel to Shifting Sands. I really wanted to take some time with it, and so here's the first chapter with more to come hopefully soon. It all depends on the real life. Anyways, usual disclaimers apply. I don't own any of these characters and I make no money off of this. Please read and review!

* * *

Things hadn't changed much since she had been gone.

Captain Janeway smiled as she looked at the grounds of Starfleet Academy. There was the old tree where she used to study her Astro-Physics under. And with a slight turn to the right, she saw the courtyard where Mark had first asked her out for a date.

And she stopped in her tracks.

She wasn't planning on remembering him today. She had hoped that even after seven years of being gone, that Mark was still waiting for her to come home. After all, it hadn't been the seventy years that she was expecting it to be before they got home.

But life isn't always what you wanted it to be.

He had moved on. They talked about it, and both of them tried to smile about the situation. But where his might have been genuine, Kathryn wished she could have said the same about hers. He had found someone to love again, because for all he knew she was never going to be back.

Part of her wished that he was right.

Stepping forward, she continued down the pathway of the academy. She looked at the all of the new recruits of Starfleet, the next generation you could say. She wondered how many of them would be sent a mission like the one she had been sent on with Voyager. Start out with something simple, and then realize you may be never coming home.

A voice rang out from her communicator. "Admiral Brisby to Captain Janeway."

Snapping out of her own thoughts, she tapped her badge. "Janeway here, sir."

"Captain, there's a priority message coming in for you in Ops. I think you might want to take a look at it." Admiral Brisby continued, as one of Kathryn's eyebrows raised.

"From who, sir?" Captain Janeway responded, puzzled.

"I think you'd be see for yourself. Brisby out." The admiral ended, the click of her communicator signaling the end of transmission.

To say she was confused now would be an understatement. Straightening her uniform slightly, she walked with determination down the rest of the path.

* * *

Captain Janeway came walking through the door to Ops as Admiral Brisby turned to see her enter, along with two other admirals.

"Good to see you, Kathryn. Thank you for coming." Admiral Brisby said as she nodded with a handshake to him. Kathryn turned to the Admiral on his right.

"Admiral Paris." Captain Janeway said with a warm smile and a handshake, to which the Admiral responded in kind.

"I second Admiral Brisby's comments. I don't believe you've met Admiral Shelby." Admiral Paris said, introducing Kathryn to the woman on Admiral Brisby's left.

"I've heard all about you, Captain Janeway. It's an honor to meet you." Admiral Shelby said, her warm smile somewhat strained. Kathryn couldn't help but notice.

"Admiral Shelby. You were with the Enterprise when they rescued Jean-Luc Picard from the Borg." Captain Janeway said, as Admiral Shelby nodded and smiled.

"I'm glad to say it worked, but yes. I wasn't an Admiral then, but some things have changed." Admiral Shelby continued for her as Admiral Brisby spoke out again.

"Shelby has been a front runner on Borg information and tactics ever since the horrid Wolf 359 incident. I'm sure you two could share some stories. In fact, that's why you're here." Admiral Brisby explained as Captain Janeway looked to him.

"We received a message earlier today from the Delta Quadrant. And we think it has your name written all over it. We haven't played it yet, but we wanted you to be here when it did. Maybe you could shed some light on this for us." Admiral Brisby continued on as Kathryn listened, then nodded to him, not saying a word, but looking to the viewing screen ahead of them. "On screen, Ensign." Admiral Brisby softly commanded as the Ensign nodded and played the message.

And the hush that came over the room was deafening.

The Borg Queen was looking at all of them.

* * *

"Captain Janeway. We hope you are well." The Borg Queen softly commented, as she seemed to be looking at the entire room. Kathryn's lips settled into a somewhat scowl as she leaned forward, putting her hands on the console in front of her.

"Our message will be short. We are not coming as an assimilation force. On the contrary, we are coming to you in peace. And we request your assistance." The Borg Queen stated, a soft smile coming over her lips, as she seemed to be staring right at Janeway.

"Even with our …colorful past being what it is, we are coming to you for your assistance. There is a small problem within our order that is creating chaos within us. And we must fix the anomaly. But we cannot do it alone. You and your people are resourceful. You helped turn back Species 8472. You will be resourceful again. Comply." She stated with finite resolution, as the screen clicked off, and text poured in on the screen now.

"I thought I had destroyed her." Captain Janeway somewhat muttered to herself, almost in annoyance as Admiral Shelby stepped in, clearing her throat.

"For what we know of the Borg, there isn't just one Queen. There are many Queens, spread out in the collective. One dies, another takes it place. The harmony never breaks." Admiral Shelby informed her as Janeway looked to her.

"What do they want?" Janeway asked, as Admiral Brisby looked to her.

"A meeting, here on Earth. She'll be sending a small scout ship to us. No spheres or cubes. And she's asking for you personally to attend." Admiral Brisby stated as Captain Janeway looked to him, somewhat in shock.

"You can't be serious about this, Admiral." Captain Janeway stated as Admiral Paris nodded his head.

"Very serious, Kathryn. Something is very wrong in the Borg Collective. Something so wrong that the Queen herself is personally contacting us in a message of distress. And from what Admiral Shelby tells me, this hasn't happened, ever." Admiral Paris stated, as Shelby stepped forward once more.

"Unheard of is an understatement. I've made my recommendation that this meeting takes place. If we can find out what's wrong with the Collective, expose it, and turn it against them, we might be able to finally finish the conflict with the Borg." Shelby stated as Captain Janeway sighed and slowly walked over to the window, looking out across San Francisco.

"And I'm the bait." Janeway finished, as she lowered her head in thought, and then turned back to them. "Is that how it goes?" Janeway asked, almost tiredly. A hope that she had left the Borg behind her in the Delta Quadrant had just faded away.

"You won't be alone. I'm giving you permission to put a team together to deal with this problem. You can have how many and whomever you'd like. This is Top Priority right now." Admiral Brisby stated, stepping forward slightly. "Kathryn, I know you've only been back for six months…we need you to do this. For the Federation." Admiral Brisby stated softly, as Captain Janeway turned to look out the window again.

"Send a message back to the Borg. I'll meet with the Queen." Janeway stated with a resolved determination as the Admiral nodded, and motioned for the Ensign to reply. Janeway sighed as she headed for the exit.

"Where are you going, Captain?" Admiral Shelby asked, as Captain Janeway turned back to her.

"To put my team together."


End file.
